10 Home Improvements You Can Do Without A Planning Permission

While the idea of upgrading your home is exciting, filing for Planning Permission is enough to burn that feeling out even before the renovation begins. Luckily, there are a few home improvements you can still carry out under Permitted Development Rights.

Internal remodeling

If your improvement doesn’t extend the overall footprint of your home, you can push through with it under Permitted Development. Just remember you will still have Building Regulations to comply with when it comes to electrical works and structural elements.

Moving windows and doors

If your home isn’t listed, installing double/triple glazing, adding and replacing windows and doors are totally fine provided you will still follow Building Regulations. However, you might want to check if there are conditions attached to the original permission for your home.

Adding a single-storey extension

If you want to build a single storey extension, you have to make sure it meets the following conditions:

The extension is not overlapping the principal elevation

You are using the same materials with your home

It’s within 2m of any boundary, the eaves aren’t higher than 3m, and it’s no higher than 4

A detached house should be no more than 4m in depth. For terraces and semi-detached extensions, it should be no more than 3m

For side extensions, the width shouldn’t be more than half the width of your home. Side extensions also aren’t permitted on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Conservation Areas

Converting a loft

If you want to create more space, you can go for dormer windows within your converted attic. Keep in mind that it should not be higher than the highest part of your roof or extended past the roof plane.

Adding a conservatory

Conservatories fall under the same conditions as single storey extensions.

Adding a shed or outbuilding

If you’ve got a large plot and you’re planning to build a garage or a shed, you should bear in mind that:

It should not take up more than 50% of the curtilage including the other extensions

It’s not sitting before the principal elevation

It should be no more than 4m if has dual pitch roof and no more than 3m for other types of roof. If it stands within 2m of the boundary, the roof shouldn’t be higher than 2.5m.

Adding gates, walls, and fences

Under Permitted Development, any means of enclosure is allowed provided that the height doesn’t go higher than 1m if adjacent to the highway and no higher than 2m for other gates, fences, etc. This improvement is not allowed for listed buildings.

Changing/adding cladding

You are allowed to change or add cladding (pebble dash, timber, stone, etc.) in your home as long as you’re not located in any special area stated in Article 1(5).

Adding a basement

If you don’t have enough space in your garden for an extension, you can totally have extra space inside your home by building a basement. Basements fall under General Permitted Development Order (GDPO) Class A. Bear in mind though that the GDPO does not allow engineering works.

Parking spaces

Off-street parking areas fall under Class F of the GDPO. Under Permitted Development, any hard surface between the highway and the principal elevation of your home or surface exceeding 5m2 should be made out of porous materials like permeable block paving, resin, or tarmac. If you opt for a non-permeable surface, make sure that the run-off water goes into a porous area within your plot.

For single-storey and outbuildings, extensions are allowed to be built up to 8m in depth and 6m for semi-detached or terraces provided that your neighbours are given prior notification. If your neighbours don’t have any issue with it, you’ll be granted a Certificate of Lawful Development.

If you’re unsure whether the renovation you’re planning would fall under Permitted Development, the best way forward is to check with the local authority.